This weekend, Shea Couleé was crowned the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season five. The final three queens in Friday night’s episode—Jujubee, Miz Cracker, and Couleé—were some of the strongest finalists in recent Drag Race history. That’s undeniable. But it was Couleé’s inventive looks, and the rich backstories behind them, that won her the trophy and a permanent spot in the show’s hall of fame. It didn’t hurt that she was also a total package when it came to the show’s room-reading, lip-sync challenges, and snatch games too
After being eliminated from Drag Race in season nine, Couleé made an All Stars return this season and was dressed to kill the competition. As a result, she has been a fan-favorite. And while her win was not entirely surprising, her approach to the show has been all about pulling off the unexpected. She has consistently used the art of drag and costuming as a medium for larger storytelling. She’s also collaborated with an impressive number of up-and-coming talent to do so, from labels such as V Leather Gear to campy designers such as Rey Ortiz
